Falkenštejn Castle: A Medieval Rock Fortress in the Czech Republic

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.autovylet.cz

Country: Czechia

Civilization: Medieval European

Site type: Military

Remains: Castle

History

Falkenštejn Castle is located near the municipality of Jetřichovice in the Czech Republic. This rock castle was established by the medieval Bohemian civilization and first came into use toward the end of the 13th century, embedded within the broader colonization efforts of local noble families expanding their territories in the region.

Initially, Falkenštejn was part of the Michalovic family’s domains during the 12th and 13th centuries. The earliest written record from 1395 names Nice Hokacker as the castle’s governor, serving under Jan III of Michalovic. Ownership of the fortress shifted to the Berka of Dubá family in 1406. Members of this family, including Jan and Jindřich Berka, are documented as conducting raiding missions into Lusatia amid the turbulence of the Hussite Wars, a series of religious conflicts in Bohemia during the early 15th century.

In 1428, the castle passed into the hands of Zikmund Děčínský of Vartenberk. While Zikmund’s family did not take up permanent residence, they maintained a military garrison at Falkenštejn throughout the Hussite conflicts. During this period, the stronghold became notorious as a base for robber knights engaged in plundering raids. Recorded attacks took place notably in the years 1427 and 1430, and it is believed such activities may have continued until around 1444. That year, the castle faced a decisive siege and was destroyed by forces of the Upper Lusatian Six-City League, a coalition formed for mutual defense and regional control.

Following its destruction, Falkenštejn ceased to be inhabited and gradually fell into ruin. The final historical references to the castle date from the mid-15th century, specifically 1457 and 1460, marking the end of its active role in the region’s tumultuous medieval history.

Remains

Falkenštejn Castle is uniquely situated atop a sandstone rock formation, incorporating natural features into its defensive design. The overall layout includes a fortified outer bailey positioned below the rock summit, protected by an earth rampart (a raised bank of earth) and a surrounding ditch, which would have hindered approach by attackers.

Access to the summit where the main structures stood was through a modified natural fissure in the rock, carefully adapted to serve as a secure passage. At the plateau on top, the partially preserved remains of a hall measuring approximately 6 by 12 meters remain visible. This hall once featured a window with built-in seating, providing light and a place for occupants to rest. Adjacent to this space, a carved chamber of smaller size is believed to have served as a chapel, indicating the presence of religious activity within the castle’s confines.

Evidence supports that a wooden tower once crowned the summit and was surrounded by a wooden palisade, an enclosure made from vertical posts for defense. The prevalence of beam sockets carved directly into the rock attests to the presence of significant timber structures, though these wooden components have long since decayed, leaving only the rock-cut foundations behind.

A striking feature of the site is a deep shaft or well, around 25 meters in depth, carved into a fissure running vertically through the sandstone formation. This would have been a critical source of water or possibly served other strategic functions.

Today, the main visible remains consist of rock-hewn rooms and the numerous beam sockets. These elements offer insight into the castle’s original construction methods and its adaptation to the rugged natural environment. To safeguard these fragile sandstone surfaces and the archaeological traces, careful measures have been undertaken to limit further erosion, helping to preserve this medieval stronghold’s legacy.